A magical book set in Swedish Lapland

Submitted: 5th December 2018

A Winter Beneath the Stars by Jo Thomas

A magical book set in Swedish Lapland. A real wintery wonderland. See the Northern Lights and more!

It’s a Christmas feast for the senses this novel. So much gorgeous landscape, Swedish traditions and a cosy log cabin. The Northern Lights, the snow, the Christmas frisson…ah it can’t get much better than this!

A Winter Beneath the stars – Jo Thomas

The setting: snowy, Swedish, Winter forests and a nice log cabin, plenty of dog sledging to do. It’s remote so lovely and quiet too!

Read with: Hot chocolate and chestnuts (or Swedish fika)

What a lovely Swedish Christmas escape!

This is really a magical book set in Swedish Lapland. It’s the story of Halley, a courier on her way to Tallfors with a bag containing two precious wedding rings inside for delivery… well she’s on her way if the bag is no where to be found! The story takes the reader to Halley’s journey as she tries to get the rings back with the help of a very handsome Sami man.

You can tell the author has done the actual journey herself as there’s snippets and scenes that you couldn’t recreate without feeling it. when Halley has to relocate a bag lost at the airport, she gets help from a Sami man who takes her on a sledge and takes her to where she needs to go. She needs to get there fast, but this is Sami territory now where you have to respect them and the animals. It’s cold, remote and the deep dark forest is hard if you don’t know the land. There’s pressure to find this bag, but it’s not the destination that’s the best thing here – it’s definitely the journey and Jo Thomas takes us on a really fun one.

I now want to live in Swedish Lapland and find out more about the Sami culture. It’s fascinating insight and with a little romance along the way too, it’s enough to warm the cockles of your heart despite all that snow.

Curl up with a mug of hot chocolate and enjoy!